Bead forming system with dedicated setup area

Abstract

A bead forming system for forming a tire bead may include the following: a housing, a first bead former configured to facilitate the formation of the tire bead, and a base secured to the first bead former, where the first bead former includes a bead-receiving surface that is rotatable relative to the base. The base may be adjustable such that the first bead former is movable from a first position to a second position. The first position may be on a first side of the housing, and the second position may be on a second side of the housing. A second bead former may be located in the second position when the first bead former is located in the first position, where the second bead former is located in the first position when the first bead former is located in the second position.

I claim: 
     
       1. A bead forming system for forming a tire bead, the bead forming system comprising:
 a housing; 
 a first bead former configured to facilitate the formation of the tire bead; and 
 a base secured to the first bead former,
 wherein the first bead former includes a bead-receiving surface that is rotatable relative to the base, 
 wherein the base is adjustable such that the first bead former is movable from a first position to a second position, 
 wherein the first position is on a first side of the housing, 
 wherein the second position is on a second side of the housing, and 
 wherein the housing includes a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being on the first side of the housing and accommodating the first bead former when the first bead former is in the first position, and the second opening being on the second side of the housing and accommodating the first bead former when the first bead former is in the second position. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The first bead former of  claim 1 , wherein a second bead former is located in the second position when the first bead former is located in the first position, and wherein the first bead former comprises a first diameter and the second bead former comprises a second diameter, which is different from the first diameter. 
     
     
       3. The bead forming system of  claim 1 , wherein the first bead former engages one or more bead winding machinery components when the first bead former is in the first position. 
     
     
       4. The bead forming system of  claim 3 , wherein the first bead former is located in a setup area when the first bead former is located in the second position. 
     
     
       5. The bead forming system of  claim 4 , wherein the setup area includes at least one robotic component configured for changing the first bead former between a first bead setting and a second bead setting. 
     
     
       6. The first bead former of  claim 1 , wherein the bead receiving surface circumnavigates a bead former axis, and wherein the first bead former is rotatable about the first bead former axis relative to the base. 
     
     
       7. The first bead former of  claim 6 , wherein the base is rotatable about a base axis, the base axis being perpendicular to the first bead former axis. 
     
     
       8. The first bead former of  claim 7 , wherein the base axis is angled relative to the true vertical. 
     
     
       9. The first bead former of  claim 1 , wherein the base is fixed to a surface of a base plate, and wherein the surface of the base plate is rotatable to move the first bead former between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
       10. The first bead former of  claim 9 , wherein the surface of the base plate remains in a plane when the base plate rotates, and wherein the plane is angled relative to the true horizontal. 
     
     
       11. The first bead former of  claim 9 , wherein the rotation of the base plate is controlled via at least one actuator that is fixed to the housing. 
     
     
       12. The first bead former of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a first actuator for rotating the first bead former about a bead former axis, and wherein the base includes a second actuator for controlling a radial position of the bead-receiving surface of the bead. 
     
     
       13. A bead forming system for forming a tire bead, the bead forming system comprising:
 a bead former configured to facilitate the formation of the tire bead via bead winding machinery components; and 
 a base secured to the bead former, wherein the bead former includes a bead-receiving surface that is rotatable relative to the base about a first axis, 
 wherein the base is rotatable about a second axis such that the bead former is movable from a first position to a second position; wherein the second axis is angled by at least 5 degrees relative to a true vertical; and wherein based at least in part on the second axis being angled, when the bead former moves between the first position and the second position, the bead former traverses through a lower intermediate position, which is between the first position and the second position and is lower than the bead winding machinery components, and a higher intermediate position, which is between the first position and the second position and is at least level with the bead winding machinery components. 
 
     
     
       14. The bead former of  claim 13 , wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis. 
     
     
       15. The bead former of  claim 13 , wherein the first position is on a first side of a housing and corresponds with a first housing opening, and wherein the second position is on a second side of the housing and corresponds with a second housing opening. 
     
     
       16. The bead forming system of  claim 13 , wherein the bead former engages one or more bead winding machinery components when the bead former is in the first position. 
     
     
       17. The bead forming system of  claim 16 , wherein the bead former is located in a setup area when the bead former is located in the second position.